I think you have to use a little imagination to see the charm of the old gear; it's all designed for a 2002 PS2 game so there were massive restrictions on what they could do with the models (which they really pushed with some of the later pieces). There were no real moving parts, no flowing robes or dresses and only a limited number of unique features that weren't part of the flat textures. If the old designs were brought up to XIV's standards then I do think that some of the old pieces would look phenomenal. Especially as all of those old tunics, a relic of those PS2 restrictions, wouldn't clip through my mount horrifyingly like a lot of XIV's robes do.